Cap for collapsible tubes and the like



Jan. 7, 1936.

J. Z. MULL. SR, ET AL CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND THELIKE File d May 21, 1955 Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES OFFIQE CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND THE LIKE Joseph Z. Mull, Sn, Philadelphia, and Herbert MacIlvain, Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pa.

This invention relates in its broader aspects to screw closures for containers of substances primarily intended to be dispensed in more or less small quantities for use; While it has more par- 5, ticular reference to caps for collapsible tubes containing pasty, semi-liquid or pulverulent substance. 1

The primary object-of this invention is to pro- 7 vide a closure or cap of the indicated character 10 that is absolutely sanitary in use, and l which may be readily removed and applied to successive containers or collapsible tubes without impairing its utility or efficiency.

Another object is the provision of a closure or cap of the specified type which is practically indestructible or not easily damaged by accidental dropping or rough usage.

A further object is to provide a novel closure or cap, more particularly adapted for collapsible tubes, embodying a plug adapted for combined rotary-axial movement from the closed to open position, and vice versa; saidplug by virtue of its movement, in conjunction with the shape of the closure or cap discharge outlet, positively ensuring the maximum of cleanliness at all times.

A still further object is the provision of a closure or cap of the type referred to which is so designed and shaped that, as the plug is turned to closed position, it progressively cuts off the discharge, after which the exterior surface of the device can be easily wiped off with the finger and is effectively freed of extraneous matter, or the content of the container or tube, whereby the said closure or cap is rendered absolutely sanitary.

The foregoing and other objects to which reference will be made in the ensuing disclosure, are accomplished by the certain combinations and structural arrangements of parts, of which there is herein illustrated selected embodiments which show, by way of example, its usefulness as a cap or substitute closure for collapsible tubes.

The invention accordingly consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. I is a top plan view of one practical embodiment of our invention, and preferably adapted for use as a substitute cap for collapsible tubes when the customary thimble cover has been removed. 7

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the same with a broken portion of the tube closed thereby.

Fig. III ista section on the plane marked IIIIII in Fig. I, and showing the plug in the closed'position.

Fig. IV is an end elevation of the cap detached from the tube.

Fig. V is an axial section of the cap with the 5.: plug in open position.

Fig. VI is a perspective view of the plug.

Fig. VII is an end elevation of a slightly varied type of the invention.

Fig. VIII is a vertical cross section thereof. l0v

Fig. IX is a longitudinal section of another modified form of the invention.

Fig. X is an end elevation of a still further modified form of the invention.

Fig. XI is a side elevation of the same. 15

Fig. XII is a cross section on the plane XII-X.[I in the preceding View.

Fig. XIII is a longitudinal section on the plane XIII-XIII of Fig. X; and,

Fig. XIV is a broken sectional view somewhat 20 similar to Figs. I and V but including a substitute securing means for the screw thread connection of. the various preceding embodiments of the invention. In all the views corresponding. parts are designated by like reference characters with 25 differentiating exponents applied to the various modifications of the invention illustrated.

Referring firstly to Figs. I-VI inclusive 2. fragmentary portion of the upper part of a conventional collapsible tube is designated by the 30' numeral I, while the externally screw threaded neck thereof is indicated by 2.

As shown, our improved closure or cap comprises a body portion 3 and a plug 4, both parts being preferably made of hard rubber, bakelite 35' or similar material. The body portion 3 it will be observed is preferably cylindrical in the axial direction and embodies an inwardly-converging screw-threaded attaching-section 5, with an aligned outlet passage 6 communicating into a 40 cylindrically-bored extension I, the axis of which is preferably at right-angles to that of the collapsible tube I. The extension I, as best appreciated from Figs. II and IV, is formed with opposing or outwardly-converging tangential- 4 flats 8, for a purpose later on set forth, while it has one end closed-in at 9.

' The plug 4 is of circular cross section and provided with a slot in theretlirough proximate its inner end, which is adapted to register with the 0 cap outlet pasage 6, and said slot has a slightly reduced somewhat oviform outlet ll, arranged to register with a correspondingly-shaped discharge orifice l2 from the extension I, said orifice having its surrounding wall suitably bevelled to 55' nally relative to the plug 3 and extension 1, re-

spectively. This feature is of prime importance and effectively prevents wastage of the tube content, while by forming the extension I with the tangential flats 8, as shown, it will be clearly apparent that any remnant of the tube content, remaining in the discharge orifice l2, can be easily removed after the plug 4 is turned to closed position by moving the finger and thumb of one hand outwardly over the converging tangential flats 8, or by wiping the cap end with a brush or cloth, in an obvious manner.

To retain the plug 4 in the cap extension 1, we provide said plug with an inclined camming groove 13, of predetermined extent, into which projects the inner end of a retainer pin l4 suitably fitted in the body 3, in an obvious manner. It is to be particularly noted that the camming groove I3 is circumferentially inclined, or partially spiralized, relative to the plug 4, so that by coaction with the inner end 15 of the retaining pin Hi there is imparted to said plug a combined rotary and axially-outward movement when it is turned by its finger-piece 16, in the direction of the arrow, Fig. IV, to bring the plug slot l0 and oviform orifice H, into aligned registration with the tube outlet passage 6 and discharge orifice l2, as readily appreciated from Figs. III and IV, more particularly. Obviously turning of the plug 4 by the finger-piece I6, in a reverse direction, effects a corresponding rotary-and-axial sliding movement of said plug within the limits of the groove l3, from the position shown in Fig. V to that of Fig. IV, whereby both the passage 6 and discharge orifice l2 are shut-ofi relative to the tube l, while the small quantity of the tube content retained in the plug slot l0 and oviform outlet H is effectively concealed and protected from deterioration lay-atmospheric exposure or from oozing-out by way of the discharge orifice l2. Furthermore, the tube content is likewise cut-off from oozing into the plug outlet l0.

In the form of the invention shown by Figs. VII and VIII all parts previously described are correspondingly designated by like reference numerals with an added exponent a, in order to avoid unnecessary repetitive descriptive matter. It is however to be noted that the extension discharge orifice l 2 is located to one side of the vertical axis through the cap body portion 3 or substantially concentric with the point of mergence of the tangential fiat'fl for example, into the cylindrical extension l The plug slot in this form of the invention is two-dimensional and angular in Iongitudinal section; or, in other words, the inner form of our invention conforms with that Shown by Figs. I-VI.

In the further modified type of the invention illustrated in Figs. X-XIII inclusive, the cap extension 'l' is formed substantially solid and provided with a curvilinear groove 20 adapted to receive a semi-circular trough-like portion 2| of the plug 4, as best understood from Fig. XII. Or, in other words, the arcuate extent of the groove 20 is predetermined to accord just sulficient rotary-axial movement of the plug 4 for opening and closing purposes, as before explained in connection with the other types of our invention. It is also to be noted, the slot 22 through the plug 4 is somewhat elliptic, as best understood from Fig. 2G; while its trough-like portion 2| is provided with an outlet aperture 23 for movement into, or out of, registration with the slot 20 and discharge orifice I 2, in an obvious manner.

In the modification of Fig. XIV the cap body portion 3 instead of being provided with an inwardly-tapering screw-thread for attachment purposes, is formed with a plain bore 24, having a shouldered outer end 25 of less diameter, while a helicoidal spring 26 under compression, is fitted in said bore with its inner end free and the outer end thereof anchored at 21 in the shoulder 25, for example. Thus it will be readily apparent that an effective provision is made to accommodate tube necks 2 of diifering diameters.

From the foregoing description it is thought our invention will not only be clearly understood, but that the advantages thereof will be apparent, and while we have described various embodiments thereof we do not desire to be limited to the precise structural details shown. Furthermore, it is obvious that our inventive idea is capable of application in other relations and applications of various forms, all of which we regard as within the scope of our improvements provided they fall within the terms of the following claims:

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A closure device of the type described comprising a body portion having an attaching section 'with a cylindrical extension and opposing tangential fiats, said body portion including a flow passage and the cylindrical extension a discharge orifice, a plug fitting the cylindrical extension and having a diametric slot therethrough, and means adapted to impart a combined rotaryand-axial movement to the plug for effecting flow passage through the device and vice versa.

2. A cap for containers of the type described comprising a body portion including an internally screw-threaded attaching section with a cylindrical extension and opposing tangential flats, said body portion having an axial fiow passage and the cylindrical extension a discharge orifice intermediate the tangential fiats, a plug fitting the cylindrical extension and having a diametric slot therethrough with a radial manipulator projection at its outer end, and means adapted to impart a combined rotary-and-axial movement to the plug for effecting flow passage through the cap and vice versa.

3. A cap for collapsible tubes of the type described comprising a cylindrical section body portion including an inwardly-tapering screwthreaded attaching section with a cylindrically bored extension, said extension having one end closed-in and embodying outwardly-convergent opposed tangential flats, said body portion having an axial fiow passage and the cylindrically bored extension an outwardly flared discharge orifice intermediate the tangential fiats, a plug fitting the cylindrically bored extension and having a diametric slot therethrough with a radial manipulator finger at its outer end, and camming means adapted to impart a combined rotary-and-axial movement to the plug for effecting fiow passage through the cap and vice versa.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the plug slot and extension discharge orifice are of oviform contour, and the camming means comprises an inclined groove in the plug with a coactive projection in the bore of the cylindrical body extension.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein the camming means comprises a circumferentiallyinclined groove in the plug, and a retaining pin engaged in the body portion with its inner end projecting into said groove.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the attaching section of the body portion has a plain bore with a shoulder at its outer end, and a volute spring is fitted in said bore with its inner end free and the outer end suitably anchored.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein the attaching section of the body portion has a plain bore with a lip around the outer end thereof, and a helicoidal spring is fitted in said bore with the inner end thereof free and its outer end anchored in said lip, for the purpose specified. 5 8. A closure of the type described comprising a body having an attaching section provided with an axial extension, said extension having a transverse circular recess substantially at right angles to the axis of the body, said body having a flow 10 passage, and the extension a discharge orifice, a circular valve having means whereby it is rotatably and slidably mounted in the recess for effecting flow passage through the device, and vice versa, and means for rotating the valve means. 15

9. A closure as claimed in claim 8 wherein the extension is provided with a curvilinear groove and the valve means is formed with a trough-like extension operable in the groove.

JOSEPH Z. MULL, SR. 20 HERBERT MAOILVAIN. 

